I decided to read this one-shot because I thought the pairing was really interesting - I've always wanted to read a Tom/Minerva, but have never found one that captures my imagination - until this one! I really really liked this, probably because to me it was totally believable and you remained incredibly canon - something I respect very much! Even so, you managed to take quite a unique ship and really make it interesting and actually totally understandable, because of course things don't work out for these two.

I was actually amazed by the subtle characterisations of Minerva and Tom. You write so amazingly well! I love that Tom is so strangely detached from the reader here, but at the same time Minerva is too. It kind of shows that in a way they are similar because they are quite introverted and so absorbed in study. It also reflected the time period a lot too though. I liked the part where Minerva took down her hair despite 'not usually doing that in public' - it felt very proper, very ladylike. I also really liked the way the two spoke to each other. They were very courteous, and not gushy or anything. It made me think that this is ship that isn't destined to work, and I love your take on it. I sometimes forget that Tom is like, THE Voldemort, but here your portrayal of him was very, very good and so well written. The way he watches and smiles to himself...it's quite unnerving, and does hint at his crazy psycho side, haha! It was also so interesting the way you included poignant events of their year, like the murder of the Riddles and Myrtle being killed - his reaction was flawless each time.

I really, really liked this. It's given me food for thought and has really left an impression on me. Ultimately, despite the things they have in common the two of them are so different. I think your last two lines really summed that up so well :)